ISLAMABAD: An impressive ceremony was held on the sidelines of 28th Tehran International Book Fair to unveil three books on Allama Iqbal and Iran-Central Asia Ties.

The ceremony, held on May 8, 2015, was arranged by ECO Cultural Institute and was attended by Pakistan Ambassador to Tehran Noor Mohammad Jadmani, ECI Chairman Professor Iftikhar Hussain Arif, ECO Secretary General Shamil Aleskerov and a cross section of Iranian scholars, academicians, writers and poets, says a press release received here on Monday from Tehran.

Speaking on the occasion the ECI President said the book “Iqbal: His Life and Our Times” by Khurram Ali Shafique, fulfills the need for reliable introduction to the life and work of Allama Iqbal highlighting the practical relevance of his ideas for those who wish to consider them for implementation.

Another book titled “The Wings of Gabriel” comprising the Urdu poems of Allama Iqbal has been translated into Persian by Dr. Mohammad Afsar Rahbin, scholar and poet of Afghanistan, he said.

“Historical Ties between Iran and Central Asia; is another book throwing light on the historical monuments and buildings of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, the ECI President said. The books have been published with the cooperation of ECI.

Ambassador Jadmani in his remarks paid tributes to Allama Iqbal saying that most of his poetry is in Persian language something which has made him popular among Iranian people. He described Iqbal as a strong cultural bridge between

Pakistan and Iran. The Ambassador lauded ECI’s efforts in bringing the peoples of the ECO member countries closer by arranging effective cultural programmes.

Other speakers included Cultural Counsellors from Tajikistan and Afghanistan who also reiterated the significance of culture in creating understanding among nations of the ECO region.